Too Lock or not to Lock??

I'm a few weeks a away from buying a new 13' 4x4 db cab Tacoma. I have some pretty attractive offers compared with what others have paid and what the invoice for the two models is. I will be financing the truck and I'm trying to pull the trigger between the SR5 and the TRD. The only reason I want the TRD is for the e locker and A trac. I will wheel the truck moderately in Cali and plan on going mid travel. I just don't know if I want to fork over the money for the E locker. I've heard they are weak but I don't plan on any hard core wheeling or rock crawling. I know the option would be somewhat worth it and it will be put to use every now and agian. Then again my SR5 I had in the past went everywhere I wanted it to go and I beat the shit out of the truck and never got it stuck. What do you guys think? Please don't tell me to just save and get an ARB locker. Thats not going to be an option.

 

get lockers.

 

those who say the stock e-locker on toyota is weak

a) don't have a clue

b) use big ass tires and require a beef locker

for your purposes you are not going to kill a toyota e-locker,
they can handle a load...I know... from the 'prove-it' network

 

benefits of a locker(s):

1) helps get you out of the poop
2) helps you from not beat the death out of your truck tryi ng to get up or out of something

I have e-locker rear and an arb in front, find more myself popping the locker on and crawling over stuff rather then stressing out the chassis and drive train trying to go over the same stuff.

 

I'm going to try not to beat my truck like I did my SR5. I think the locker would be worth it. I wouldn't have to work the truck as hard to get over something I could simply lock up and crawl over or through. If I'm going to finance it will be an option worth investing in, esp if it will hold it's value better. I wish they offered an SR5 with an E-locker :/. Thanks for the replies fella's.

 

I will take a wild guess, and say that if your wheeling hard enough to break the Toyota E-locker, you've already spent a ton of money on your truck, enough to buy a new axle without blinking.

I think a-trac is the real selling point. keep you from engaging the locker, keep your truck in one piece.

I have zero experience with either option, but from what I've read, this is my opinion

also, my grandpa has an O/R (still an avid antler chaser) and has enough dents in his rockers to ask me (young moron) how to make his truck more capable. ZERO problems with locker, and its his "beater"

 

The e-locker is tough enough for the weekend warrior, but if you want to build a dedicated trail rig the sport/SR5 is a better platform to start on.

monkeyproof has busted his rear diff. 3 or 4 times because the diff for rear locker is weaker then a SR5/sport rear diff.

oh, and there's a difference between the 2nd gen taco rear end and the 3rd gen 4-runner rear end.

 

I wheel my truck a lot and have used my trd E locker many many times in some tough trails and have never had a problem with it . I would recommend it

 

Monkeyproof has probably busted his locker a few times because he does some crazy shit ! Lol

 

Just curious, why is an air locker not an option? The on-board air is a serious plus.

FWITW, my TRD sport is my first 4wd and it has handled everything I have thrown at it without effort. If I ever have problems, the ARB is going to be my next mod after that. You can probably get by with any SR5/sport/off-road with whatever you are going to do, since it doesn't sound like you are going to be too crazy with it.

Good luck!

 

I just want the convenience of having the E-locker to begin with. I really do want the SR5 because of the larger rear end and one day I will throw some lower gears and lockers. But not till after warranty expires. I want a good all around mid travel set up that will be my DD. I plan on icon or fox ext travel C/O and uni ball UCAs and springs and RR shocks in the back and 33's. I want to build a mini raptor killer thats not too extreme. The truck will see rough trails but nothing extreme ie: any thing that requires sliders or solid axles. Like I said I just want the locker to begin with. The truck ill probobly be 60/40 onroad off road and will not be a total trail rig until 10 years from now when it has 200k miles on it.

 

The truck will see some "faster" trails, mud, and crawling trails. but I don't want to beat the shit out of the truck too bad the first 5 years I have it. I plan on keeping it until the wheels fall off. I will mid travel it for the capability but, will prob not beat on it to bad. Litterally the only thing I want the TRD for is the locker.

 

Whoa!!! Tell me more - you mean like 8.5" rear diff instead of 8" for example?

 

Yeah thats what I meant. I wan't all the cabability I can get. If you plan on building the truck without swapping the axles I would rather have an 8.5 more than 8. I just want the locker to begin with.

 

locker for sure. I've had my dads truck stuck in his yard because the tires were flexed just enough to have 2 one wheel wonders.

 

That's weird - why would they use a smaller, weaker rear diff for the elect locker?

 

Not sure man I think the SR5 is an 8.4 and the TRD is an 8.0. I've only delt with the SR5. So i have no idea how the TRD will preform. I don't think that is that much in size and strength but, I have heard more serious offroaders prefer the larger SR5. Thats why I stated in my original post to not tell me "just ad an ARB locker." because thats what everyone seems to leans towards.

 

I just knocked of some more on the dealerships offer.
SR5 dbcb sb 4x4 MGM tacoma 28,5xx
TRD dbcb sb 4x4 MGM Tacoma 30,3xx

pretty good looking prices if you ask me.

 

Curious, what are the differences?

 

That TRD price is what they're getting here for an AC SR5 4WD. Can't imagine getting a better price anywhere.